Celebration of life services will be held on Tuesday, March 31, at 2:00 p.m.at the funeral home. Burial will be in the Rose Hill Cemetery. There will be open visitation after 12:00 p.m.(Noon) on Monday. Memorials in Bob's name are being directed to the Prader-Willi Syndrome Association. For more information you can on-line at www.pwsausa.org to learn more about Prader-Willi.

Robert Keith VanHoutan, son of Beryl and Ruth (Hall) VanHoutan, was born at home on August 10, 1926, in rural northwest Missouri near Martinsville. He was the youngest of three sons. He passed away on Friday, March 27, 2009 in Omaha, Nebraska.

His early life was spent on the family farm northwest of New Hampton where the family moved when Bob was a young boy. He was a member of the Willow Row Methodist Church and was baptized in the pond on the farm he would later purchase. Bob attended Locust Grove Country School through the eighth grade and then Albany R-III High School where he graduated in 1944. After graduation, he served two years in the United States Army on the Pacific front.

On August 26, 1951, Bob was united in marriage to "Skip" Jones. To this union two daughters Terry Lynn and Deborah Ann, were born.

After their marriage, Bob and Skip worked in St. Joseph, Missouri. They moved to Roosevelt, Minnesota near the Canadian border and bought a farm, but returned to Missouri for the winters to work in St. Joe. In 1957 they moved back to Missouri and purchased a farm in Gentry County which they operated until 2004. During this time they took great pride in their turkey operation which Bob operated with his two brothers. Bob and Skip moved to Shenandoah, Iowa in 1966 where they owned and operated a wholesale/retail ceramic business. This was followed by the purchase of a small grocery store. After Terry and Debbie graduated high school, they returned to their family farm near New Hampton, Missouri.

Bob was a dreamer and a builder. Instead of retirement, he and Skip built and operated a 72 bed skilled care facility in Maryville, Missouri. They sold this business and moved back to Shenandoah in the fall of 2003 to be closer to their children and grandchildren. Even after a diagnosis of A.L.S., Bob designed and built another care facility, Fair Oaks, which he and Skip owned and operated until April 2006.

After "retirement", Bob and Skip enjoyed traveling. He enjoyed documenting his travels by videotaping the scenery and events. He also enjoyed recording and watching his grandchildren's activities. Bob and Skip loved the outdoors and the beauty of nature. They especially enjoyed the flower gardens that surrounded their home.

Preceding Bob in death were his parents, nephew Gordon VanHoutan and brothers; Maurice and Jerry.

Those left to honor his memory include his wife Skip of Shenandoah, IA; children, Terry Fichter and husband Tom of Shenandoah, IA; Debbie Norton and husband Jeff of Sidney, IA; grandchildren; Anthony and Matthew Fichter of Ames, IA, Emily Fichter of Shenandoah, IA, Joel Norton and wife Alison of Olathe, KS, Jordan Norton of Loveland, CO, Andrew Norton of Ames, IA and Rachel and Collin Norton of Sidney, IA; great-granddaughter Charlotte Norton of Olathe, KS; other family and friends.

To his survivors he leaves a legacy of loving family ties and a strong work ethic. Most of all, he leaves his family with the encouragement that you can dream, build, and with perseverance, make all things possible.